He’s Country: See Jason Aldean Through the Years [Pictures]

Jason Aldean's road to country music superstardom hasn't been an easy one. Sure, he's experienced plenty of highs — numerous No. 1 songs, sold-out tours, awards wins — but he's also dealt with a few tragedies along the way.

Born Jason Aldine Williams in Macon, Ga., Aldean was raised primarily by his mother in Georgia, but he would spent summers in Florida with his dad, who taught him to play guitar. Aldean started out performing at clubs in the southeast, then began writing some original music; in 1998, he met Michael Knox, then of Warner-Chappell Music, after a show in Atlanta, signed with the publishing company and moved to Nashville, at the age of 21.

Aldean signed, and was dropped from, two different record labels before finding a home at Broken Bow Records. After the second deal fell apart, Aldean famously gave himself six months to make it work, vowing to move home if it didn't. A few weeks later, BBR came calling, and he's been there ever since.

Aldean released his debut album, a self-titled project, in 2005. Flip through the photo gallery below to see where he's been in the decade-plus since.